MyProgressiveRailroading

Railroads get social

For passenger railroads, social media platforms are a good way to keep riders informed about service disruptions or delays. For example, if a train is going to be late, transit agencies can hop on Twitter or Facebook to let passengers know about alternative service options.

As the social media landscape continues to change, many railroads have become bolder about incorporating humor and personality into their tweets and posts. To make their messages more personal, some railroads even use things like GIFs, memes and videos.

"The humor sort of disarms people," says Caltrain Social Media Officer Jeremy Lipps, who isn't afraid to incorporate a self-deprecating joke about his railroad's aging infrastructure when riders complain about late trains. "If you can poke a little fun at yourself, it takes a little of the sting out of the interaction."

I recently checked in with a few of passenger railroads to hear about their latest social media strategies. Take a peek at my recent feature to learn more.